Razorblade
by MythicWolf04
Summary: On a hot September day, sometimes a husky needs a friend around. Maybe that friend will turn his life in new directions. When summer comes to a close, new opportunities make themselves known. (Kouya/Tatsuki) Gift for Reciprocate.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a birthday present for my friend Reciprocate. I hope you enjoy it dude, happy birthday! I worked hard on it and I'm happy with the result, hope you are too!

Suggested listening: Razorblade by The Strokes

* * *

The good times

They feel so ancient

But we are in the present

Battling nostalgia

* * *

"Man, it's so hot!"

Kouya panted as he walked down the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets. He looked up at the cloudless sky and squinted as the sun beat down on him and lit his body on fire. He cursed whatever spirit was in the sky watching his suffering.

This is ridiculous, the summer is supposed to be gone! It's September and it feels worse than then!

Kouya looked around the street for a sign of salvation. Air conditioning, cold food, anything indoors. He grinned when he looked upon the perfect object of his salvation.

_The candy store! Thank God!_

Kouya picked up the pace and dodged past a few people until he came to a stop in front of the store. His mouth began watering as he picked up wonderful scents wafting from the entrance.

He entered the candy store and breathed a sigh of relief as the bitter and relaxing cold hit his chest. The shopkeeper laughed and waved at Kouya who began to blush.

"Real scorcher today, huh?" The shopkeeper asked.

Kouya nodded. "The hottest day I've seen for a while."

"Ice cream is in the back."

Kouya smiled. "You read my mind." He squeezed between the packed aisles of candy to reach the back of the store.

The freezers called to him like a tempting evil spirit, and he approached the cold with a wagging tail. He opened the freezer and stuck his head inside.

_How about I just stay here? This feels so good!_

"Huh, I've never seen a husky stick his head in the fridge before!"

The deep and amused voice startled Kouya from his position, and he shot out of the fridge with a gasp. He turned and locked eyes with a huge green dragon.

"Oh, h- hey, Tatsuki." Kouya's face caught fire again as he stuttered.

Tatsuki laughed and raised his hand for a high five. "What's up, Kouya?" Kouya sighed and met the high five with a small grin.

_Okay, keep it cool. Be cool! You weren't just sticking your head in the fridge._

"So why were ya stickin' your head in there?" Tatsuki asked.

_Ugh, why else?_ Kouya looked away. "It's way too hot."

"Yeah, and it's almost fall! Just keeps getting hotter, I swear!"

"I heard it was going to get colder next week, but I dunno. Doesn't help that my fur is gonna start growing thicker again." Kouya started looking through the fridge while he spoke.

"If ya go shirtless like me, you won't have that problem!" Tatsuki laughed and patted his belly. Kouya rolled his eyes.

"Fat chance, Tatsuki." Kouya snickered to himself as he pulled out a cup of vanilla ice cream. He heard booming laughter to his side that reverberated throughout his whole body.

"Oh, I see what you did there! When did you get such a sense of humor?" Tatsuki asked as he grabbed a cup of chocolate ice cream.

_Ever since I found the band._ "Guess I learned it recently." Kouya shrugged and closed the fridge.

Kouya began to browse the aisles of the shop, and he found that Tatsuki was following him. _Well, this isn't too bad. He's not like Tora; he's actually fine to have around._ Kouya ran a hand through his silver hair and squinted at the prices of the candy on the shelves.

"Lookin' for something for the old sweet tooth?" Tatsuki crouched down next to him.

"May as well have something with the ice cream." Kouya shrugged. "Probably… umaibo." He licked his chops as he thought of that delicious treat.

"That sounds like a great idea! What's your favorite?" Tatsuki looked at him with a grin on his face.

"Takoyaki for sure," Kouya answered without hesitation.

Tatsuki gave him a thumbs up. "That's a great one, but I love the chicken curry!" He grabbed a couple of sticks of umaibo from the shelf.

"Really?"_ Always pegged him for a cheese type._

"Yeah! It tastes exactly like ramen!" Tatsuki chuckled and grabbed a few more. "Here, I'll pay for the candy."

A pang of annoyance flashed through Kouya. _I'm not that damn poor. I can pay for it!_ "You don't have to-"

A heavy hand clapped on Kouya's shoulder. "I'm doing this because I care about you!" Tatsuki made eye contact and grinned. "Nothing else!"

It was that smile that did it. That genuine goofy smile melted Kouya's heart. "Alright, fine. You can pay."

"Thank you, Kouya!" Tatsuki started walking towards the front counter with his candy in tow. Kouya's shoulder almost felt cold now that the hand was gone.

_Quit spacing out, weirdo!_ Kouya shook his head before following Tatsuki to the front.

Tatsuki walked up to the counter and set their spoils down on the table. The shopkeep rung him up, and Kouya paid for his ice cream afterward. They also grabbed some spoons sitting by the register after paying.

"Thank you, please come again!" The shopkeep called as the two left the store and returned to the intense heat of the day.

Tatsuki nudged Kouya. "Hey, do you… uh…" Tatsuki trailed off.

Kouya's ears perked up as he looked over at Tatsuki. "Huh? What is it?"

Tatsuki blushed. "Do you… wanna hang out? For a little while?" He swallowed. "I figure it's been a while since we have, and I don't have work today, and I thought it would be fun. You don't have to, I just thought it would be something to do!"

Kouya grinned. "Sure, we can hang out."

Tatsuki perked up and laughed. "Awesome! Come on!"

Kouya yelped as Tatsuki grabbed his arm and dragged him off down the street. He couldn't keep his tail from wagging as he was lead away, though.

_Tatsuki seems... Different. Is he happier than normal? Or… lighter maybe?_

After being taken around a few street corners, Kouya found himself in the park. They walked down the path and sat on a bench under a huge oak tree.

"Is this fine?" Tatsuki gestured to the park around them.

Kouya snorted. "Anywhere would've been fine." He peeled the lid off of his ice cream cup and dug in.

"Man, nothing beats ice cream on a hot day!" Kouya exclaimed. The cold did wonders to improve his mood.

"You've got that right!" Tatsuki laughed and patted Kouya's arm roughly. The impact sent a jolt through his body, and he responded with a strike to Tatsuki's shoulder.

"How's that feel?"

Tatsuki blinked. "Huh? Did you do something to me?"

Kouya growled. "What the hell? You should've felt that!"

"You wish!" Tatsuki laughed and gave him a thumbs down. "I've got thick dragon scales! Nothing can hurt me!"

"Whatever you say, man." Kouya took another bite of his ice cream, and Tatsuki handed him his umaibo stick as well.

They ate in silence for a few moments, just taking in the atmosphere and shade. Kouya watched as a group of children played a game of tag in the clearing across from them and felt a flash of deep nostalgia cut through him.

_That used to be us… way back when we were kids… God, it feels like forever ago._

Kouya cleared his throat. "So, how have you been? What's your life been like?" He asked, looking at Tatsuki.

"Oh, it's been pretty much the same. Working with my dad and the guys! Being a carpenter and stuff." Tatsuki grinned and scratched his neck.

Kouya narrowed his eyes. "That can't be it, can it?"

"Well, I haven't really had much time. Dad wants me to do everything, and I've gotta. This is the first day off I've had in a bit," Tatsuki replied.

_Still feels too stilted._ "Huh, alright. You hung out with any of the guys at all?"

"Me and Tora a few times, when he's not at school or swooning over Hiro." Tatsuki stuck out his tongue and cringed. "They're so disgustingly cute!"

Kouya snickered. "Well, the guy is happy. I I can't blame him."

"But he gets so wishy-washy and dumb!"

"Tora is like that all the time. He's a chronic dumbass." Kouya finished his ice cream and set the cup down before opening the umaibo.

That drew a hearty laugh from Tatsuki. "Yeah, that is true! But he's been acting dumber than ever!"

"That's what being in love does to you." Kouya took a bite of his umaibo and hummed. _Amazing as usual. Can never go wrong with that dependable flavor!_

"Makes you wonder what that feels like, huh?" Tatsuki cradled his chin in his hands.

Kouya patted Tatsuki's shoulder as a strange blush crept to his face. "Absolutely, buddy. It's a mystery."

Tatsuki shook his head and smiled again. "Enough about that! What have you been up to recently?"

_Great, I gotta explain it now._ "Uh, nothing much. Got a job, been living on my own for a while." He chomped down on the umaibo as anticipation mounted.

"You live alone?" Tatsuki's voice was way too soft.

"Yeah." A nod. "About a year now."

"And… are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine! It's honestly not a big deal; live by my own rules and stuff. It feels good." Kouya winked at Tatsuki in reaffirmation.

"But that can't be alright! What about your parents?" Tatsuki's voice rose.

"They didn't support my dream, so I moved out. I'm doing fine now, really," Kouya responded.

Tatsuki was silent for a moment. Kouya watched as the gears turned in Tatsuki's head for a few moments before he opened his mouth.

"Your parents should still love you, no matter what. That's not a question," Tatsuki murmured.

"Try telling that to mine."

"I'm sure they both love you, Kouya! They probably regret driving you away!" Tatsuki turned to face Kouya, his umaibo forgotten.

"I don't know about that…" Kouya looked down at the floor.

"When was the last time you talked to them?" Tatsuki raised a brow.

_Damn, why did he have to ask that?_ Kouya sighed and finished his umaibo in one bite.

Tatsuki crossed his arms. "That's what I thought."

"Well, what do I say to them? 'Hey, sorry I've been gone for a year! I've just been dealing with the fact neither of you support me!' Then everything will be okay?" Annoyance sparked into anger in Kouya's chest.

"No, but you should talk to them and understand their side. I always do that with my dad!"

"But what if they don't do that to me in return?" Kouya raised a brow. "What if they refuse to see my side?"

Tatsuki sighed. "Then… you've just gotta make them listen to you. You gotta be loud and make yourself heard." His faced constricted into pain, and Kouya's heart ached.

"Tatsuki…"

"We're just kids to them. We have to make ourselves heard. We're people too, we aren't nothing." Tatsuki smiled weakly. His eyes were glassy and wet with unshed tears.

Kouya felt a pang in his chest. _Wow… Tatsuki is wise beyond his years. That's… that makes me feel better. I wonder what he's been through._

Kouya wrapped Tatsuki in a side hug. "I'll… I'll try to talk to them again. I'll listen to them, and I'll make them listen to me."

Tatsuki hugged him back. "You don't have to be alone. I'm here."

Kouya smiled. "Thank you, Tatsuki. Seriously."

_Why haven't I hung out with him more? He's great…and he seems different than before, back in August. I wonder what it could be?_

"Anytime." Tatsuki wiped his eyes and laughed.

_I'm glad I made this decision._

Kouya watched as the children continued playing and laughing. He chuckled to himself when one of them fell, only to be helped up by a few of the others. They kept running and jumping around without a care in the world. It was so familiar and so distant now. So far gone.

"Remember when we were all kids?" Kouya asked. "Everybody always went everywhere together. We did everything."

"Feels like forever ago!" Tatsuki laughed and picked his umaibo back up.

"Nostalgic watching them, isn't it?" Kouya gestured to the kids.

"Definitely. Makes me wanna be a kid again!"

"Things were so much simpler then." Kouya crossed his arms and grinned. "Didn't have to worry about drama, or school, or music, or anything."

"I miss it," they said at the same time. They looked at each other for a second before they both burst into laughter.

"Guess that's a trend that runs with our group!" Tatsumi exclaimed while he laughed.

"Doesn't surprise me." Kouya shook his head and leaned back on the bench with a sigh.

_If only there was a way to go back to those days. Now we've all got jobs, school activities, higher education..._

_Things just aren't fair anymore. Nothing's gonna be the same as before_.

Tatsuki watched Kouya as his face dropped, and he frowned. He set a soft hand on Kouya's shoulder. "I know it's hard not to feel upset about it, but we can still be happy about it! We can be happy that stuff happened!"

Kouya matched Tatsuki's gaze with a cocked head. "What do you mean?"

Tatsuki looked up at the sky. "We can't dwell on the past. It already happened, and we can't change that. We can only hope for the future and live in the present. We gotta cherish the present, Kouya!" Tatsuki smiled, but his eyes were full of pain. "It's all we have!"

Kouya stared at Tatsuki with widened eyes. _He's… Tatsuki really is something else, isn't he? There's so much behind that goofy laugh of his._

Kouya touched Tatsuki's hand, which sent sparks flying through Kouya's arm. "Thank you, Tatsuki. Really."

"Of course; anything for my friends." Tatsuki smiled and squeezed Kouya's hand. Kouya swallowed hard and nodded.

_Yeah, there's definitely something different about him. What could it be? It's probably right in my face._

"Hey, Tatsuki. You seem… more different than usual. What's up with that?" Kouya leaned closer to Tatsuki and squinted his eyes. "Something you ain't telling me?"

Tatsuki snorted. "Maybe it's because I've been sober for a month?"

Kouya's mouth dropped open in strong shaking shock he'd never felt before. "An entire month? With no alcohol?"

"Yep. Not a drop since August!" Tatsuki exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Whoa, how'd you do it? Why?" Kouya bit his lip. _That's a great thing… but it's something outta nowhere._

Tatsuki's expression darkened. He clasped his hands together and stared at the grass below them with furrowed brows. Kouya could almost feel the tone shift around them, and it sent a chill down his spine as worry crawled through his chest.

"I had been building a plane for a while, and at the end of August, right after Hiro left, I decided to fly it." He swallowed and covered his eyes. "I was a little too drunk, and the plane wasn't ready. Crashed after I got in the sky." He laughed bitterly.

Kouya covered his mouth with a hand. Sinking emptiness pooled into his gut as he listened, and he felt an ache inside himself.

"Dad found me and took me to the hospital. Was lucky not to have broken anything, but I couldn't look at alcohol the same way again. I quit cold turkey; haven't looked back since."

Kouya's chest felt tight. His exterior finally shattered as he went in and embraced Tatsuki hard. Tears pricked at his eyes as he held him close.

"Dammit, why didn't you tell us? You almost died!" Kouya's voice quivered as he buried his head in Tatsuki's chest. Tatsuki wrapped his arms around Kouya just as fiercely.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want anyone to worry about me! I've messed up enough by being drunk all the time, anyway."

"Why? Why did you?" A few tears came and Kouya sniffled.

Tatsuki swallowed. "I thought… I thought you all liked me better like that."

Kouya moved to look up at Tatsuki. "Of course not! We all like you for you, not who you're pretending to be!" He scooted even closer to Tatsuki on the bench.

_Damn, he's really warm. I wonder if all dragons are like this? I guess I wouldn't mind staying here._

They did break the embrace, although it was reluctant on both sides. "Thanks, Kouya. I promise you, I'll never drink a drop of sake ever again!" Tatsuki pressed a hand to his chest.

"If you do, will I get to beat your ass?" Kouya grinned and cocked an eyebrow.

Tatsuki winked and sent a hot bolt through Kouya's body. "Absolutely!"

"You better not, then! I won't hesitate to beat you to a pulp!" Kouya punched Tatsuki's shoulder lightly.

Tatsuki laughed and clutched at his stomach. "Understood! I'll be a good boy for you, Kouya!"

Kouya's face ran hot. That actually sounded good, coming from Tatsuki's mouth. "Well, let's make it official then." He held his hand out, pinkie finger extended.

"Oh, a pinkie swear? I can't back down!" Tatsuki looped his finger around Kouya's. He cleared his throat and continued, "I promise to never drink sake and get drunk again, or Kouya will beat me up."

They shook. The contract was sealed.

Kouya found himself tearing up again. "Thank you. Thank you for telling me everything."

"Of course, old friend." Tatsuki's eyes were glassy as he nodded. They both stood up and relished the breeze that blew through the park.

It carried the scent of fall and a brisk chill with it. Change was in the air.

Kouya found that he couldn't tear his gaze away from Tatsuki's. Why not? Why couldn't he? What was so captivating as to not let him look away, to want to move closer and-

Tatsuki cleared his throat and threw Kouya into reality. "So… it's getting kinda late."

Kouya's ears and tail dropped. "Yeah… it is."

Tatsuki scratched the back of his neck and looked to the floor. "Well, since it's a long way to your place, do you want to spend the night at my house?"

And Kouya's ears were right back up to attention. "Oh, uh, yeah! Yes. Absolutely. I would like that. Thank you." He nodded vigorously as he spoke.

Tatsuki chuckled. "That's awesome! It'll be a sleepover, just like old times!"

_Oh man, those were the best times. We would all just hang out together at one of our houses and spend the night. All of us just being together._

"Yeah, it will." Kouya's voice was quiet. His face felt warm, and he almost growled.

Tatsuki started to walk back the way they came. "Well, let's get going! It's still a little while to get to my house!" He looked back over his shoulder and grinned.

"Alright, I'm coming!" Kouya walked behind him.

He found that Tatsuki looked ethereal when basked in the orange glow of the afternoon sun. It brought a soft smile to Kouya's face as he followed Tatsuki.

_How does he stay so strong? He's been through so much by himself, and he's still so happy go lucky. I wish he didn't have to deal with it alone._

Kouya hummed and scratched his chin as an idea popped into his head.

_He doesn't have to be alone… not if I help him! I can be there for him. I haven't hung out enough with him enough lately anyway. I can start here_.

"Keep up, Kouya!" Tatsuki called over his shoulder.

"Yeah, coming!" Kouya sped up to walk next to Tatsuki.

_He won't be alone._


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I might continue this later down the line, honestly! It was really fun to write. Once again, happy birthday Reciprocate! Also if you guys haven't read his works, I highly recommend them!

* * *

Fighting loneliness

Always seems so simple

But I can't lose anyone

Never you

* * *

The streets of Minasoto faded away into dirt roads and tall grass. They walked through the hot countryside, a few cicadas still buzzing around with persistence. Tatsuki let them down a side street that snaked through the woods until they stopped in front of a large house.

The sun was even lower in the sky, and it filtered through the leaves and cast dancing shadows upon the gravel path as Kouya walked up to the front door of the Midoriya household.

_Man, he's got such a huge house! I wonder why we didn't hang here much._

Kouya's ears pricked as he heard the sharp sound of wood being cut. Sawdust invaded his nostrils and he snorted and snuffled to get it out.

Tatsuki laughed and patted Kouya's back. "Sorry 'bout that. The boys are still working today!"

"This late?" Kouya raised a brow. He saw a few figures moving about in the workshop beside the front door.

"Yeah. Dad keeps them late, but they get paid well!" Tatsuki grinned.

"Huh. And they like working with him?"

"Sure do! My dad can be nice!" Tatsuki crossed his arms and frowned.

"Yeah, when hell freezes over." Kouya rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Hey, is that Tatsuki?" A high-pitched voice called. A small mouse walked up to them from the noise of the workshop.

Tatsuki slapped the mouse on the back with a resounding smack, to which Kouya winced and the mouse yelped. "Hey, Chuukichi! How's the work goin'?" Tatsuki asked with a grin?

"It's goin' well! The boss got onto us earlier for bein' lazy, but we've almost finished the tables! Oh, and the chairs are done!" Chuukichi grinned. He then locked eyes with Kouya and raised a brow. "Who's this guy?"

"This is my good friend Kouya!" Tatsuki set a much gentler hand on Kouya's shoulder. _Huh, I guess they do a lot of roughhousing with each other. Or Tatsuki is just being gentle with me in particular._

_He has been acting strange today, alcohol or not._

"Kouya, huh? Well, nice ta meetcha!" Chuukichi extended his hand out, and Kouya shook it with the most charming smile he could muster.

"Pleasure is all mine, Chuukichi." Kouya winked and let go of Chuukichi's hand. He saw Chuukichi blush for a moment, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Tatsuki frowning.

"Are ya staying the night?"

Kouya nodded. "Yeah, Tatsuki invited me over for the night."

Tatsuki cleared his throat and grabbed Kouya's wrist, beginning to lead him away. "Yeah, and we're gonna go hang out now! You've still got work to do today, so get to it!" He dragged Kouya down the front steps and into the doorway.

Kouya yelped as Tatsuki manhandled him. _What's his problem? I'm just trying to talk to Chuukichi!_

Tatsuki opened the front door and ushered Kouya inside in front of him. Kouya thanked him and walked further inside Tatsuki's home.

When Kouya entered the living room, he was greeted with a massive dragon lounging in a recliner and drinking sake. His face was a bright red color, but he still kept drinking.

_Oh, that's Tatsuki's dad. Was his name… Tappei? I think so…_

Tappei perked up when Kouya entered. "Well if it ain't Mr. Aotsuki's boy! I haven't seen you for a while!"

Kouya grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hi, Mr. Midoriya. It has been a while."

_God, he's so damn intimidating._

"Glad to see Tatsuki is finally bringing a guy home for the night! It's about damn time he got action!" Tappei laughed and winked at Kouya before he belched.

Kouya's face flushed as Tatsuki barged into the living room with a shout. "Dad, Kouya's just a friend! It isn't like that at all!"

Tappei raised a brow. "Oh, he isn't, huh?" He hummed, and a glint appeared in his eye that Kouya didn't like. "Bo- Kouya, come here."

Kouya swallowed. "Uh, what?"

"I said come here!" Tappei roared before he sat up in his chair. _Good grief! What's his freakin' deal?_

Kouya jumped and shuffled over to Tappei. "What is it, Mr. Midoriya?"

Tappei laughed and leaned back in his chair. The bottle of sake fell from his hand and rolled away empty. His eyes had a hungry glint in them. "So if you ain't here to get with my son… then how about getting with me instead?" He grinned.

_Is he serious? He's so drunk!_ "Uh, I'm good. Thanks." Kouta took a step back and shook his head.

"Aw, c'mon! You know you wanna get with this!" Tappei rubbed his belly and winked.

Kouya felt a sudden urge to hurl. "Yeah, no. Sorry, I'm not into it."

Tappei opened his mouth to protest, but then Tatsuki had grabbed Kouya's wrist. "Dad, please quit being drunk and weird! We're going to my room!" He led Kouya out of the living room as Tappei's protests faded.

Tatsuki led them up the stairs before he stopped and caught his breath. "Man, I'm really sorry about that! He gets… really inappropriate when he's drunk."

"I can see why you quit drinking." Kouya shuddered. _Man, I don't wanna end up like Tappei. Maybe drinking isn't such a great idea!_

"Yeah. Sometimes I wish he would too, but he wouldn't listen to me or Mom." Tatsuki shrugged.

"You could get her and your carpenter friends and stage an intervention."

"Nah, that won't work! They're all too afraid of him!" Tatsuki shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Maybe it's something to try later. You never know. Threaten him enough and he could crack." Kouya slammed his fist into his palm and grinned.

Tatsuki erupted in laughter and pushed Kouya along down the hallway. "Man, I wish it was that easy!"

"What, so he would win against all of you?" Kouya rolled his eyes.

"Yes." Tatsuki stopped laughing and looked at him with a stern expression.

"Uh, wow, okay."_ Huh. I didn't think Tappei was that strong. Maybe its when he's sober that he's a threat…_

Tatsuki stopped in front of a door, and he suddenly started to blush. Kouya raised a brow and watched as Tatsuki huffed and kicked at the floor.

"What's wrong?" Kouya asked. He approached Tatsuki and set a hand on his arm.

Tatsuki jumped. "Oh, nothing! I was just… uh…" he cleared his throat. "You don't mind sleeping with me in my room, do ya?"

Kouya laughed. "Of course not! It's a sleepover, remember?"

"Right, yeah. Of course!" Tatsuki chuckled, but he was tapping his foot on the floor. His brows were drawn together while he stared at the floor. "But there's one more thing I gotta ask."

"Yeah? And what's that?" _Maybe something silly, like if we will do this again, or if it was worth it… yeah, it was more than worth it._

"D- do you need to take a bath?" Tatsuki's face was the color of a tomato now, which made Kouya snort and smile.

"Well yeah, I'm tired. Been out the entire day!"

"I, uh… meant together. Both of us. At the same time, you know?" Tatsuki's voice seemed to continue rising as he spoke. He twiddled his thumbs and looked to the floor.

Kouya's mouth ran dry. _Well, that's something. Something different._

"Uh, what for?" He finally got out.

"B- because our water bill is running high!" Tatsuki laughed and turned away from Kouya.

_He's such a horrible liar. But… ah, what the hell. Let's play along._

Kouya held his hands up. "Alright, man. I'll take a bath with you." His heart started hammering in his chest, and he took a few deep breaths. _Quit freaking out!_

Tatsuki turned around with a small smile on his face. "Really?"

Kouya nodded. "Sure. Why the heck not?"

"Okay!" Tatsuki opened the door and led Kouya inside.

Kouya found himself in a small hallway before a spacious wooden room with a pool of water in the middle, not unlike a sauna. He glanced around; it was big enough for a lot of Tatsukis.

"You like it?" Tatsuki gestured around them before he walked over to a small pile of rocks and turned the heater on underneath them.

"It's nice. Your house must be pretty expensive, huh?" Kouya began to peel his tank top off as he spoke.

"Uh, yeah!" Tatsuki nodded and took off his blue jacket. "My parents make a lot of money, so they can afford this pretty easily!"

Kouya sighed. "Must be nice." He tossed his tank top on the counter beside the sink.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Nah, it's cool." Kouya cast a smile in Tatsuki's direction as he shucked his pants off and set them with the shirt. "I'll get there one day."

"Absolutely. You're way more capable than I could dream to be!" Tatsuki had taken all his clothes off by now, and he was walking over to the bath to sit in the water.

Kouya felt his face heat up as his eyes drifted a little too far down Tatsuki's body. He bit his lip and looked away before he removed his underwear and followed Tatsuki into the bath.

"Ahhhh, isn't this nice?" Tatsuki leaned back against the edge of the bath and spread his arms out. Kouya sat opposite of him with his arms drawn in close. His stomach growled.

Kouya closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah. Don't get to take these at home." He felt his shoulders drop.

"I'm glad I can treat you, then!"

_If only he could treat me to this stuff every day… then I would get really spoiled._

"I appreciate it!" Kouya opened an eye and gave Tatsuki a thumbs up. "This place is way nicer than anywhere I've lived."

"I mean… if you're ever in need of a room, you could always come live here."

Both of Kouya's eyes flew open. "What did you say?"

Tatsuki laughed so loud it seemed to shake the entire room. "You can come and move in with me if you ever need to!"

_Man, he's way too kind for his own good._ Kouya chuckled and shook his head. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, man."

"Anything for you, Kouya!" Tatsuki set another rock atop the heater, which caused the room to be enveloped in a thicker cloud of steam.

They fell into silence. Kouya began to wash his fur, but his gaze wandered over to Tatsuki while he did. He watched Tatsuki scrub his scales until they were shining, and his huge muscles glistened as water poured off of them. His gut was big, but it complimented his figure in a good way. Kouya swallowed hard and looked back down to himself.

He was far too thin and gangly. He hadn't been eating enough, and there was only a little muscle left on his body. His stomach felt empty. _When's the last time I had a filling meal?_

"Something wrong?" Tatsuki asked. Kouya looked back up to see Tatsuki looking at him with a frown and a scrunched brow.

Kouya's shoulders tensed and he covered his body. "No, I'm alright." His voice was too tired, too pained. He sighed.

"You don't sound alright." Tatsuki scooted closer until they were sitting beside each other, only a few inches apart.

Kouya hugged himself tighter but didn't shy away. _What do I even say? I just… I feel so awful now. But why? I was just fine a few minutes ago!_

Tatsuki hummed. "Is it because you're uncomfortable in here?" Kouya shook his head. His stomach growled loud enough for Tatsuki to blink in surprise.

"Oh… because you're thin?"

"I don't know…" Kouya's voice broke as he spoke. "I'm not healthy. I live alone, nobody's around for company. I haven't done this in so long." He shut his eyes.

"You don't have to be alone, you know." Kouya felt something warm and soft on his shoulder.

He looked up into Tatsuki's eyes and gasped. _There's… he looks so concerned and sad. Does he really care about me that much? I'm just some husky who went his own way._

"Why not?" Kouya asked. His voice was small, and he felt even smaller.

"Because you've got me and everyone else. You can talk to us about anything!" Tatsuki tugged on Kouya's arm and brought him a little closer. "You've got some sorta body problem going on, and I just want to help!"

"Tatsuki…" Kouya leaned in a little closer.

"What happened to when you were open with us?"

Kouya was quiet for a few eternal moments before he opened his mouth. "I don't-"

"Don't say you don't know, dammit!" Tatsuki pulled Kouya into a tight hug. Shock ran through Kouya's body and left him paralyzed as Tatsuki started to shake.

"Don't say that! Just give me a damn reason... I'm here, Kouya." Tatsuki's voice was shaky.

"Hey, why are you crying? That should be my job!" Even as Kouya spoke, he could feel a few tears welling in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Tatsuki.

"Just talk to me."

_Well, no getting outta this one. Least it's him, and not anyone else._

Kouya sighed and pulled back a bit to make eye contact again. "I'm just a mess. I do a pretty good job at hiding it most of the time, but I'm a huge mess." He gestured down at his body before covering it back up. "Don't have enough money to eat, can't take baths often, live alone."

Kouya bit his lip. "I think it's my body that I hate most."

"Hey, you're welcome here anytime." Tatsuki smiled. "We can feed you!"

_That almost sounds like a plea… why's this such a massive deal to him?_

"I appreciate it, but I shouldn't impose."

"No, please! Let me help you." Tatsuki's grip on Kouya tightened. "Please."

Kouya was taken aback. _Maybe… jeez, he means business. He really cares about me._ Kouya's face heated up.

"Okay." Kouya's exposure broke and he grinned. He relaxed his arms and exposed his body. "Fine, I'll let you take care of me, but don't spoil me!" He waved a finger in Tatsuki's face.

"Great! Thank you!" Tatsuki laughed and pulled Kouya back into a hug. Kouya sighed and wrapped his arms around Tatsuki. Gosh, this is nice.

Kouya raised a brow when his hand fell on a strange lump on Tatsuki's back. "Hey, Tatsuki. What's this thing here?"

Tatsuki tensed up. "Oh, that's one of my wings."

"How come they're not big?" Kouya asked.

"Most dragons are born without em nowadays. I got unlucky, I guess. Can't fly."

"That doesn't sound horrible. You can't even see them, anyway."

Tatsuki sighed. "But that's the worst part. Do you remember when we were little?"

"Ugh, some?" Kouya squinted and hummed. "What about it?"

"Well, you guys saw my wings, and you always wanted me to fly you guys around." Tatsuki chuckled. "But I couldn't; couldn't even fly myself. You guys would cry every time, and there was nothing I could do about it."

Vague memories resurfaced in Kouya's mind as Tatsuki spoke. A smaller Tatsuki with those awkward wings on his back. Everyone fighting to get a piggyback ride from him first. A sad mood on his mind when everyone left.

_How could I have forgotten that stuff?_

Kouya sighed. "I'm sorry, Tatsuki. I should've remembered sooner." He pressed a hand to his forehead.

"Nah, it's cool!" Tatsuki smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You sure it's cool? Doesn't sound like it." Kouya touched Tatsuki's smooth shoulder.

"Problem ain't anything I can fix easily." Tatsuki i shrugged.

"Dude, what is it? You can tell me too, you know." Kouya put on his best pleading face, widening his eyes and pinning his ears back.

Tatsuki groaned. "Ugh, fine! Why do you have to look so convincing?"

Kouya shrugged. "I was going for 'cute' or 'adorable,' but that works too." He scooted over and put a few more rocks on top of the heater.

"Alright, fine." Tatsuki pressed a hand to his face and blushed. "I still feel guilty about not being able to fly you guys. I'd try to say 'maybe next time I'll be able to fly' when you guys started crying, but that didn't help."

Kouya bit his lip. "I didn't know you felt this way."

"Eh, I thought it was pointless. Still bugs me, though."

"That's okay, some stuff is like that." Kouya smiled. "I still feel bad about knocking Shin into a pool a few years ago."

"Yeah, but I feel so guilty! All you guys wanted to do was fly!" Tatsuki threw his hands in the air. "I couldn't do anything for you!"

"Hey, it's okay! It was just our wild imaginations, after all." Kouya set a hand on his shoulder. "Nobody blames you for having wings."

"I sure as heck do," Tatsuki mumbled into his hands.

_He's really not gonna let this go, is he?_ "Well, is there some way for you to make up for it?"

Tatsuki brightened and nodded. "Yeah, I think so!"

Kouya clasped his hands together. "Cool, so what is it?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise for everyone. Can I show you tomorrow?" Tatsuki flashed Kouya a pleading look.

_Man, I can't say no to that face! This must be how he felt._ "Okay, okay. You're lucky I don't have work tomorrow." Kouya crossed his arms.

"Hell yeah! I'll show you first thing in the morning!" Tatsuki pumped his fist into the air.

Kouya nodded and then proceeded to yawn very loudly. "Should we wrap it up in here? Think it's getting late."

"Sounds good." Tatsuki grabbed his washrag. "Hey… uh, could you get my back? I can't reach it."

"Oh, sure." Kouya took the rag from him and started to scrub Tatsuki's back.

_Man, how does he get his scales so smooth? It's so soft and nice to touch!_ Kouya blushed as he worked. He found his efforts being focused lower and lower almost against his will until-

"Hey, at least invite me out to dinner first before we get all handsy!" Tatsuki laughed and twisted to wink at Kouya. Kouya's face got even redder as Tatsuki spoke.

"Oh God, sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"Hehe, it's alright dude." Tatsuki got up and stretched. "I'm all clean now! We should get outta here so the others can take baths too."

"Not until you get my back too." Kouya grinned and turned around. _If I get to do it, so should he._

"Fair enough! I hope you're in for the scrubbing of a lifetime!" Tatsuki shouted into Kouya's ear as he sat back down behind him.

"Hey, you better not-" Kouya was cut off when a pair of gentle but firm hands pressed into his back and started scrubbing. "Oh… damn…" He leaned back and sighed.

"How's it feel?" There was a smug edge in Tatsuki's voice, which made Kouya elbow his stomach.

"It's nice, jerk." Kouya closed his eyes. "You're a master at this."

"Me and the boys have to help each other a lot. It comes easy!"

"Yeah, no kidding."

Tatsuki continued to wash Kouya's back while he closed his eyes and relaxed. _God, I just want this moment to last forever. If this is how Tatsuki is gonna take care of me, then I've got no complaints._

Sadly, the moment was not going to last forever. Tatsuki finished and patted Kouya's shoulder before they both got up.

"What did you think of our bath?" Tatsuki asked as he turned the heater off.

Kouya's face grew warm. "It was nice." He grabbed a towel from a hook by the door and started to dry himself off.

"Great! I wanted to treat you to something nice!" Tatsuki walked to the sink and picked up a toothbrush.

"I dunno if I can go back to my cold shower after that." Kouya found his gaze wandering to Tatsuki's backside as he brushed his teeth, and he silently cursed at himself. _Quit it! That's not something to be thinking about!_

"Then I guess you'll just have to live here from now on!"

Kouya stuck his tongue out at him in the mirror. "I wouldn't have to become a carpenter, would I?"

Tatsuki shook his head. "Only if you want to. Pops wouldn't force ya."

Kouya didn't reply as he continued drying himself off._ I wouldn't have to work under Tappei if I was here… huh._

"But the other carpenters already live here; I don't want to be a liability." Kouya's ears drooped.

Tatsuki shook his head. "Nah, my dad wouldn't care. Long as you aren't here doing nothing all day!"

_This sounds way too good to be true._

Kouya finished drying off and slipped his black briefs and pants on. He grabbed his shirt and waited while Tatsuki finished brushing his teeth. He dried off soon after and tied his fundoshi back on.

Kouya blushed when Tatsuki didn't make a move to put his pants on. "So… are you staying like that?"

Tatsuki blinked. "Huh?" He looked down. "Oh, I sleep like this!" He laughed. "It's way comfier than clothes!"

_Can't say I'm complaining. He looks… good._ "Alrighty, man." he stepped out of the bathroom and back into the dim hallway.

Tatsuki led them down the hall and to the door at the end of it. "Well, here's my room!"

He opened the door and Kouya stepped inside. Kouya was met with a small, but cozy room, and nearly tripped on the tatami mat when he stepped inside.

"Gah, sorry about that!" Tatsuki shoved the mat into a corner. "I forgot to put it away this morning." He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed.

"It's alright." Kouya's gaze fell upon an easel by the only window, which held a canvas on it. "I live in an apartment this size." He walked over to the easel.

Kouya's eyes widened while he took it in; it was breathtaking. The painting wasn't finished, but it showed a clearing in a forest. The grass was as bright as emerald, and the trees looked real. The sky wasn't painted, but it looked almost ethereal in its unfinished state.

"Did you draw this?" _It's so wonderful… how does he do this?_

Tatsuki chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I did! I really like art, but it's just a hobby."

"You're amazing! I can't wait to see it finished!" Kouya sat down beside a low table in the center of the room and placed his shirt beside it.

"Thanks, but it'll probably just go over there." Tatsuki pointed behind Kouya to a pile of canvases and papers leaned against a wall. They were covered in a thin layer of dust.

"What- why aren't you hanging those up? They're really cool!"

"Not any space left in my room." Tatsuki shrugged, and Kouya felt a hot pang in his chest.

"It doesn't feel right to leave them there, though. You could sell them or something." Kouya scratched his chin.

"Maybe, but there ain't much of a market for them." Tatsuki moved the tatami next to the table and grabbed a few pillows scattered around the room.

_I could ask to take some home for him, but…_ "That's a shame; maybe you'll find some customers soon." He gave Tatsuki a thumbs up. _Part of me wants to stay here. A big part._

"That would be awesome!"

Kouya smiled at Tatsuki's enthusiasm. _At least one of us can be excited all the time._ He watched as Tatsuki laid down on the mat. "So where am I sleeping?"

Tatsuki patted the space next to him. "Right here?"

Kouya blushed. _That doesn't sound so bad._ "Oh silly me, how could I have forgotten?" He started moving to the mat, but then stopped.

_Aw hell, why not join him?_ Kouya took his pants off and set them by his shirt, which made Tatsuki clear his throat and look away. Kouya snickered and laid next to Tatsuki, his back to him.

_The mat isn't as good as my bed, but something about it feels right. This feels so familiar somehow_.

Kouya smiled and rested his head on his hands. "Hey, Tatsuki."

"Yeah, Kouya?" Tatsuki's voice quivered.

"Thanks for asking to hang out. This was a good idea." He turned over and found that Tatsuki had done the same; his face was inches from Kouya's.

"Yeah, it was! I had a great time!" Tatsuki nodded.

"We should do it more often."

"Like I said, you can come live here if you want. Offer is open." The look on Tatsuki's face almost made him cave right then and there, but he didn't.

_Yes. Just say yes! You really want to!_ "I'll think about it."

_Idiot._

"Hell yeah!" Tatsuki pumped his fist in the air and grinned. "I hope you'll decide to stay!"

_Me too, dork._ "How about I sleep on it?"

"Alrighty."

Kouya bit his lip and shivered as a breeze passed over him. "Hey, is it okay if I-"

Tatsuki cut him off and drew him into a tight hug, pressing their bodies close together. Kouya tensed for a moment but soon relaxed. _He doesn't hate my body, even if I do. It's okay._

"This alright?" Tatsuki's voice was suddenly so very small.

Kouya sighed and wrapped his arms around Tatsuki. _This is perfect._ "It's great." Tatsuki's heat enveloped him like a thick blanket and made him drowsy. "This whole day has been great. Thank you."

"You're welcome! We both needed it." Tatsuki yawned and held Kouya a little tighter. Kouya buried his head in Tatsuki's chest.

A revelation shot through Kouya's chest and left a blooming burst of warmth and color in its wake. _I really don't want to leave Tatsuki. Not ever_.

His face began to warm and his stomach twisted itself into knots as he forced his tail not to wag. _Oh, well… I guess I'm in love with him. I like that._ He tightened his grip on Tatsuki and relished the feeling of those smooth scales against his fur.

"Good night, Tatsuki. Thanks for everything."

"Naw, thank you!" Tatsuki ruffled Kouya's hair. "You helped me out a ton!"

Kouya chuckled. "Alright, dude. Good night." He closed his eyes and listened to Tatsuki's steady heartbeat.

"Nighty night, Kouya."

_This is so perfect. I don't ever want to leave him._

_I'll take his offer tomorrow._

_And I can be with him._

Kouya drifted into sleep with only a green dragon on his mind. Sure, strange odds brought them together, but it all worked out.

For once, Kouya was happy.

_Thank you, Tatsuki._


	3. Chapter 3

There's a place we all escape to

Away from the material world

Where we lose our material things

And gain true happiness

* * *

Kouya woke up with bleary eyes to a warm feeling enveloping his body. He panicked for a moment and glanced around before it all clicked.

He was sleeping with Tatsuki.

And by God, was he warm.

Kouya looked down and saw two huge green arms wrapped around him. He smiled and leaned back against Tatsuki with a sigh.

_I should really get up, shouldn't I?_

Tatsuki seemed to hold on a little tighter. Kouya watched as soft sunlight filtered through the window blinds and sent rays of light through the room. Crickets and birds were chirping, and the cicadas were buzzing.

_Nah… nevermind. This is too good._

Kouya leaned his head against Tatsuki's shoulder. and closed his eyes. He listened to the deep breathing and quiet snores that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

Perfection. Utter perfection.

Kouya laid there and matched his breathing with Tatsuki. He wasn't sure how much time had passed while he was there in blissful silence, but soon enough, he heard grumbles from behind him. A yawn erupted.

"Good morning to you too, Tatsuki." Kouya laughed.

Tatsumi yawned again. "Wuzzat?" Kouya turned over to see a smiling dragon. "Oh, g'mornin." His deep and rough voice rumbled all throughout Kouya's body.

_Damn, his voice is really hot. I wish he sounded like this all the time!_

"How do you feel?" Kouya asked. His hand found its way to one of Tatsuki's arms and he began to stroke it.

"Really good, since you're here." Tatsuki winked.

Kouya's heart skipped a beat. "R- really?" Butterflies gathered in his stomach.

"Yeah! Just like the old days."

"That's true." Kouya found he was still stroking Tatsuki's arm, and he blushed and withdrew his hand. Tatsuki laughed.

"Come on, we should get up! My dad is gonna bust in the room if we stay here any longer."

_Damn. I wanted to stay here a while longer, too!_

Kouya got up and grabbed his pants from beside the table. He threw them on and grabbed his shirt before he stretched.

Tatsuki cleared his throat, and Kouya turned around to see him looking to the floor while he wrung his hands. "So… did you make a decision? About staying?" Tatsuki asked.

_Oh, right! Nearly forgot!_ "Yeah, I figured it out." Kouya smiled.

"And what is it?" Tatsuki edged a little closer. His face was not unlike a dog begging for a treat.

_I can't leave him in suspense like this._ Kouya laughed and went in to hug Tatsuki. "Of course I'll stay. I've thought about it and… yeah. I really want to."

Tatsuki's arms wrapped around Kouya as he cheered. "Yes! Thank you, Kouya!"

_Today might beat yesterday as the best day ever. Huh._

They pulled back after a moment and Tatsuki rubbed the back of his neck. "We should probably head downstairs now. C'mon!"

Kouya followed Tatsuki out of his room and down to the first floor. They passed the living room and Kouya was greeted with a loud and busy dining room.

"Morning everyone!" Tatsuki shouted over the clamor.

"Morning, kid!" Tappei replied with a wink. "You too, Kouya."

Kouya's face heated up as he nodded. "Morning, Mr. Midoriya."

_He's acting like that didn't happen yesterday! I guess this will have to be something I deal with now._

Mrs. Midoriya waved from the kitchen. "You boys take a seat, breakfast will be ready soon!"

Thanks, Mrs. Midoriya!" Chuukichi called from his seat at the table. "Mornin', you two!"

Kouya waved. "Morning."

Tatsuki sat beside a fox Kouya had yet to meet. Kouya took a seat on the other side of Tatsuki and found himself next to an unfamiliar horse.

"Uh, morning." Kouya smiled and reached out a hand. "Name's Kouya."

The horse looked down at the hand and snorted. "I've heard of you."

"Okay…"

Kouya heard a booming laugh from the other side of Tatsuki and jumped. He leaned over to see the fox wiping a tear from his eye.

"That's ol' Nikaidou for you, a man of few words and even fewer manners!" The fox exclaimed.

Kouya chuckled as Nikaidou huffed and crossed his arms. "We don't need your humor this early in the morning, Tetsuya."

Tetsuya only laughed in response. Kouya found himself smiling as his shoulders relaxed. _These guys are pretty cool. They really act like a family._

"Ah, and you must be Tatsuki's friend! I apologize for the rude introduction!" Tetsuya reached a hand out past Tatsuki. "I'm Tetsuya."

Kouya shook it with a grin. "Kouya. Nice to meet you, Tetsuya."

Tappei snorted and glared at Kouya from across the table. "Least you've got manners, unlike my son."

"You're one to talk, dad!" Tatsuki rolled his eyes.

Tappei opened his mouth, but then promptly shut it. Kouya covered his mouth to hold back a laugh while Tatsuki crossed his arms and grinned.

_If this is how it is every day… then it's not so bad, is it? I like this a lot._

"Alright boys, breakfast is served!" Mrs. Midoriya entered with plates stacked high with pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage. Tetsuya got up and came back with plates and silverware for everyone a few moments later.

Kouya's mouth watered as he took in the sights and smells of the food. _Oh my God, this looks amazing!_

"Thanks for cooking, Mom!" Tatsuki began piling his plate high with food, and everyone else followed his lead.

Kouya dug into his plate with gusto as his stomach began to rumble. His eyes widened as he took his first bite. _This… this is amazing! I haven't had a meal like this since I lived with my parents!_

Kouya looked over to see Tatsuki shoving food in his mouth at an alarming rate as the contents of his once overflowing plate began to vanish. Tatsuki looked back at him and started laughing.

"What? Never seen a dragon eat before?" Tatsuki grinned.

Kouya shook his head. "Not really, no." He glanced at the rest of the table and saw Tappei doing the same thing. Kouya blinked.

_Does anyone have manners in this house?_

Kouya shrugged and continued eating._ I shouldn't be surprised._

"So, Tatsuki." Mrs. Midoriya cleared her throat from where she sat at the head of the table. "Do I need to bring your friend back home? When is he leaving?"

Tatsuki chokes mid-bite and started coughing. He reached for a glass of water and downed at as Kouya looked at him with widened eyes. He reached over and patted Tatsuki's back as he coughed.

"You okay?" Kouya leaned in close to him. He could feel the heat radiating from Tatsuki from a distance.

"Yeah! Yeah, just wasn't expecting that is all." Tatsuki's brows were creased with worry and a frown was prominent on his face. Kouya felt a pit form in his stomach.

_He never got the okay from his parents, did he? Aw man, this isn't gonna work. I won't be able to stay._

"Well, son? Do I need to take him home?" Mrs. Midoriya raised a brow and crossed her arms. Kouya swallowed.

Tatsuki rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his plate. "Well, Mom, there's a funny story behind that… I offered Kouya to move in with us."

Suffocating silence enveloped the room. Kouya could hear his heart beating in his ears.

"You did what?" Tappei roared while he stood up. Chuukichi and Nikaidou both shrunk away from the angry dragon.

"Before you get mad, let me explain-"

Mrs. Midoriya shook her head. "You can't just make these decisions without asking us first! This is unacceptable, Tatsuki!"

"Mom, can I just-"

Tappei growled. "We can't just take in another teenager! He's got parents of his own!"

Tatsuki slammed his fists on the table and stood up. "_No!_ Kouya left his parents, he's living alone, and he's really poor! He needs help and we can give that to him!"

The room fell silent again. Kouya's face burned as all eyes locked on him. He felt like crawling under the table and hiding.

_Damn it, Tatsuki. You just told everyone here my greatest weakness! I don't even know these people!_

Tatsuki huffed. "He lives in a one-room apartment by himself! Just look at him and tell me he's in good shape!"

There were the eyes again. Kouya hugged himself as he glared at Tatsuki. Tatsuki's eyes, however, were full of sadness and concern.

"I didn't want to put another burden on you guys, but I can't just turn my back on Kouya. He needs our help, and his parents can't give him that help."

Mrs. Midoriya's gaze softened, and the glare left Tappei's eyes. Tatsuki sat back down. "I want to help him, please."

"What do you think, dear? Can we do something for this child?" Mrs. Midoriya furrowed her brow.

Tappei crossed his arms and sat down. "This isn't something to take lightly." He let out a loud sigh, and for a moment Kouya saw how old he truly was. "You know he's your responsibility if we do?"

_Ugh, like I wanna be a responsibility for someone to bear. I'm not a little kid!_

Tatsuki, however, wore an expression of steely determination. "I know."

"If he does something wrong, it's on you." Another nod.

"He's gonna have to stay in your room." Tappei glanced over at Mrs. Midoriya, who nodded. "Long as he stays out of trouble and helps us with chores."

Tatsuki nodded once more before turning to Kouya. "Can ya do that, Kouya?"

Kouya snorted. "Course I can. I'm not gonna be a freeloader, and I've still got my job. Do I need to pay rent?" _Please say no, please say no._

Tappei shook his head. "Course not, boy! Yer only what, seventeen?"

_Coming from the one who wanted to feel me up last night._ "Yeah."

"Then don't worry 'bout the cost!" Tappei winked at him

Tatsuki drummed his fingers on the table. "So… he can stay with us?" _Real smooth talking, as per usual._

Tappei sighed and nodded. "Yeah, but nobody else, got it? He stays with you-"

"Thanks, dad! You're the best!" Tatsuki hollered. Kouya snorted at the outburst, but he felt a warmth blooming in his chest unlike anything he had ever felt before.

_What is this? Is… is it love?_

Kouya snorted again. _No way, I'm just an idiot._ He went back to eating his breakfast while his tail wagged behind him.

Tatsuki elbowed Kouya and winked at him. Kouya felt his face heat up as he looked away. _He's an idiot too._

"So yer gonna be stayin' with us, huh?" Chuukichi asked with a grin on his face.

Kouya nodded. "Guess I am."

Chuukichi leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands. "You know what that means?"

Uh, this is weird. "What might it mean?" Kouya picked at the crumbs on his plate. _Be cool, man._

"We're gonna be able to spend more time together!" It was Chuukichi's turn to wink at Kouya.

"I suppose so, dude." Kouya crossed his arms and allowed a small smile. "I'm sure we'll have fun."

"Oh, you bet we will!" Chuukichi chuckled.

Kouya opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, there was a low and terrifying growl from beside him. He looked over to see Tatsuki glaring at Chuukichi with his teeth bared and claws dug into the table.

"I've had enough of this." Tatsuki got up and stomped around the table where he stopped next to Chuukichi. "You're gonna go and think about what you've said and never say that to him again."

And with that, Tatsuki literally picked Chuukichi up from his seat and threw him out of the house. There was a flash of grey fur and a scream, and then he was through an open window.

_I'm never getting on Tatsuki's bad side. Ever._

Tatsuki returned to his seat and took a deep breath before he smiled at Kouya again. Kouya swallowed.

"Aw, relax! We only do it ta him!" Tatsuki slapped Kouya's back and started laughing.

_We?_ "What?" Kouya felt his cool dissipate once again.

"Yeah, dad does it too!"

"Probably not for… whatever the heck that was." Kouya shook his head.

"It's my business what I do to Chuukichi, not his." Tatsuki grimaced.

_That's just weird._ "You didn't have to throw him, he was just talking to me!" Kouya frowned. Annoyance started to bubble up in his chest.

"I didn't like what he was doing, s'all!"

Annoyance turned into anger. "And I didn't like that you just told everyone my living situation, but here we are!"

Tatsuki winced, and regret flooded Kouya's head for a moment. He tossed it aside when his anger flared back up.

"I'm gonna take a walk. Thanks for the wonderful food, Mrs. Midoriya." Kouya got up and left the dining room while his adrenaline still fueled his actions.

After a moment, he found himself out in the scorching heat of the front porch. He walked to a rock in the shade of a tree and sat down with a sigh.

The birds were chirping in the sky and the cicadas were hard at work making the most obnoxious noises ever. Kouya took a few breaths.

_God damn, Tatsuki. Chuukichi was just being a bit flirty is all, nothing wrong with that!_

_Unless Tatsuki is jealous?_

Kouya shelved that thought for later. _Too much going on and no answers._

_If I'm moving in here, I should call my parents. No wait, I can't... Dad is gonna ridicule me if I tell him. Mom will make me feel guilty._

He shook his head and growled. _Ugh, whatever. I don't need their opinions on how to live my life._

The sun kept beating down on him, and the sudden crunch of sandals on the gravel made it feel even more oppressive. They stopped just behind him.

_Speaking of guilty… I shouldn't have stormed off._

"Uh, hi."

Kouya turned around and sure enough, Tatsuki was standing there with the most pitiful expression he had ever seen. Tatsuki's eyes were downcast and his tail was drooped down onto the ground.

_God, I'm an asshole._ "Hey."

Tatsuki sighed and looked Kouya in the eyes. "I'm really sorry I told everyone about your situation. I shouldn't have, and you totally deserve to be angry at me!" He bowed deeply towards Kouya, who looked on with widened eyes.

_Ugh, I'm the worst._ "No, I should apologize for shouting at you like that." Kouya stood up and set a hand on Tatsuki's shoulder.

"You had every right to!" Tatsuki smiled.

"Doesn't mean I should've."

Tatsuki put his hand over Kouya's. "I still shouldn't have told everyone without your permission. That wasn't cool."

Kouya shrugged. "It was gonna have to come up sometime, anyway." He stared at their hands and swallowed down an annoying floating feeling.

Tatsuki managed a chuckle. "I suppose that's true!"

"I'm just happy everyone is okay with it."

"Absolutely. Now, let's get back inside before the heat melts our faces off!"

Kouya laughed. "Alright, man. Lead the way."

Tatsuki took them back inside and to the living room, which was empty at the moment. "My dad wanted me to come and get you, 'cause he's got something for all of us to do."

Kouya groaned internally. _Ugh, just what I need. Chores!_ "What is it?"

Tatsuki shrugged. "Dunno. He wanted to get us all together first."

They walked down the hall and arrived at the carpentry workshop. Kouya's nose was assaulted with the smell of sawdust as he stepped inside, and he almost sneezed.

"There you are! Was about to get real upset, ya dumbass." Tappei looked at Tatsuki and crossed his arms. The other carpenters were all standing around him, and they looked over at Kouya.

"Sorry Dad, it took longer than I thought." Tatsuki shrugged. "Everything's all good now, though!"

Kouya shoved his hands into his pockets. "So what's up, Mr. Midoriya?"

"Well, seein' as you need your stuff moved in here and the boys haven't done any good ol' manual labor in a while, I figure we go take care of that today."

Kouya blinked. "Huh?"

Tappei snorted. "We Midoriyas don't half-ass anything, boy. You live here, you'll learn that."

Tetsuya chuckled. "We're good movers too, don't worry about anything."

Kouya smiled as warmth bloomed in his chest. "Thanks, guys." _Yeah, I really can get along with them. They aren't too bad._

"C'mon, let's get in the truck! Daylight is being wasted!" Tatsuki started walking out of the workshop, and everyone followed him.

They went back out into the blazing heat and got loaded in the truck sitting in the driveway. Kouya found himself squished beside Tatsuki, with Nikaidou and Chuukichi across from them in the truck bed. A moment later, the truck started and they were off.

"Reminds me of when we went camping." Tatsuki nudged Kouya's shoulder.

A wave of nostalgia crashed over Kouya. "Yeah, and your terrible driving almost killed us on the way there."

Nikaidou snorted. "Doesn't surprise me. How far over the limit did he go?"

"Hey, I'm not a bad driver! What the hell?" Tatsuki threw his hands in the air as he protested. Chuukichi started laughing, but a glare from Tatsuki shut him back up.

"That's debatable." Kouya rolled his eyes. _He's way too easy to tease._

Commercial buildings started popping up along the road, and Kouya caught the sight of the Raimon for a moment as it whizzed by. Within a minute, they were through Minasoto and off through more back roads.

"Uh… my dad does know where your place is, right?" Tatsuki raised a brow.

Kouya flicked Tatsuki's arm. "Duh, moron. I told him before we left." _Dense as a box of rocks. Why am I in love with him again?_

"Oh, heh. Sorry 'bout that." Tatsuki rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. Kouya's heart skipped a beat. _Oh, right. That's why._

Kouya whistled to himself before he reached around and set his arm behind Tatsuki. Kouya didn't look over and instead opted to stare up at the bright blue sky while he attempted to calm down.

Tatsuki leaned into the touch. Pure euphoria rushed through Kouya. He smiled.

Nikaidou narrowed his eyes and snorted again. "Something you'd like to share with the class, Kouya?"

"Nope." Kouya shot him a toothy grin before he closed his eyes and focused on the feel of the few scales that brushed his arm.

He could feel a glare coming from someone on the other side, but he didn't want to move. Instead, Kouya leaned against Tatsuki's massive arm.

The next few moments were spent in blissful silence as Kouya watched the landscape shift and change as they drove. The tall grass turned into trees and then into rice paddies as some strange amalgamation of the countryside, and Kouya found himself getting lost in it.

_Why haven't I bothered looking before? It's honestly pretty out here._

_Too many days spent on my motorcycle, I guess._

The landscape morphed into buildings as the truck slowed down, and with the change in scenery came a weight that settled upon his chest. Kouya sighed and tried to focus on Tatsuki.

"We're here!" Tappei shouted as the truck stopped in front of a ramshackle apartment building on the side of a gravel road.

"Looks like I'll finally get to see your apartment!" Tatsumi grinned and climbed out of the truck with Kouya following behind.

"Yeah… you will." The sinking feeling grew. _Man, Tatsuki is one thing, but showing everyone my place? I don't know..._

Tatsuki frowned and patted Kouya's back. "Hey, it's alright. Nobody is gonna judge the coolest guy around!"

Kouya smiled and looked upon his home. His… old home. "Alright, you win. Let's get this done."

And then his phone rang. A wave of confusion washed over him as he took it out of his pocket and answered.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hi Kouya. How are you doing?" A soft voice came over from the other line.

Kouya's stomach dropped and his eyes widened. _Oh no, not now. Shit._

"Mom?"


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So... it's been a hot minute since I've written anything, huh? Sorry about that, I've been in the worst writer's block for the past few months and nothing much has been helping. I managed to finally finish this fic, but I'm still in a rut. Here's to hoping writing something brand new will help me out! Anyway, enjoy the last chapter of this fic!

* * *

We lose face in denial

Why not just accept the truth?

Why not take the risk?

We are intelligent, stupid creatures

* * *

"Mom?"

Kouya watched as Tatsuki's face scrunched up in puzzlement, and then concern.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Her voice sounded stilted and awkward and far too casual for his mother.

"Uh, yeah. It has." Kouya pilfered his pockets until he procured his key and threw it at Tatsuki. "Why did you call me?"

"What, a mother can't call her only son?" Izumi tried to laugh, but it died too fast.

Kouya watched as Tatsuki unlocked the apartment door and whispered something to Mr. Midoriya. "Not unless you're gonna ask me to come home again."

He heard a sigh from the phone. "How are you doing, son?"

_Barely making it. _ "I'm doing fine, Mom."

"You sound tired. Are you really okay?"

_She's never tired when she is worried._ "Yeah. Just busy, is all." He caught a glare from Mr. Midoriya and waved it off.

"Work isn't overwhelming, is it?"

_Maybe I just need to tell her the truth._ Kouya shook his head. _She'd hold it against me._

"Nah, it's the same."

"You know, you could still move back in with us."

There it was. There it always was.

"No," Kouya responded too quickly. "I'm not gonna do that."

Izumi chuckled again. "Well, it was with a try, wasn't it?"

"I guess so."

Silence. Kouya felt an air of tension thicken around him as he listened to the static of the phone. The white noise created a snowstorm around him when he waited.

"I was going to ask… can I come and visit you soon?" Izumi's voice was shaky.

Kouya grimaced. _Backed into a corner._ "No, sorry. You can't."

He heard a sigh from the other end. "Is it because you're busy? There's really no room in your schedule?"

Tatsuki poked his head out from the door. "Kouya, come on! We don't know where to start here!"

Kouya scowled and waved him away. _Dammit._

"Is something going on with you?" Izumi's voice grew more concerned as her volume rose. "Do you need our help?"

Something in Kouya snapped, and he snarled. "Mom, I'm just moving into a friend's house! It's not a huge deal!"

_God damn, I'm not a little kid anymore!_

"You're moving to a friend's house?" Kouya struggled to hear her.

He took a breath. "Yeah, I am."

"Why?"

Kouya blinked. _At least she isn't shouting._

"It's because I want to. It's a bigger place, and I won't be alone and I'll be closer to school." Kouya paused and frowned. "I'm not short on money, alright?" He shifted on his feet and set a hand on his hip.

He heard a laugh and a sniffle from the other side. "I understand… I just wish my baby would come home!" She started laughing some more and Kouya found himself cracking a small smile.

"You could not have chosen a worse time to call." Kouya rolled his eyes.

"I know, I'm sorry." Izumi's voice broke, and so did a piece of Kouya's heart. "Just be careful, okay? I love you."

Soft warmth blossomed in Kouya's chest. "Love you too, Mom."

"Before you go, hold on."

"Uh, yeah?"

Izumi sighed heavily. "You're going to have to talk to your father soon."

Kouya felt a weight settle on his body. "God, why?"

"Because he's going to want to know, and… he worries about you."

Kouya rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh."

"Please try to call him soon. For me, alright?" Izumi all but pleaded.

"Okay, fine! I'll think about it." Kouya threw his free hand in the air.

"Thank you."

_She's still too much._ "Yeah, sure."

There was another short bout of silence. "I should probably let you go, huh?"

Kouya tapped his foot on the ground. "Yeah, the guys are getting antsy to move."

"Alright. Be careful, okay?"

"I will. See you, Mom." Kouya smiled and hung up.

_I'll talk to Dad sometime._

"Hey, Kouya! Let's go, we got packing to do!" Tatsuki shouted from the doorway.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Kouya walked towards his apartment with a grin on his face.

He entered his apartment and looked around at everything. There wasn't much in that one-room flat, but it was still enough to make him scratch his head.

_Too many dudes in here._

"I've got my old moving boxes in the closet, I think." Kouya walked past his kitchenette and opened a closet door on the far wall.

He dug around his clothes and let out a cry of triumph as he dragged a bunch of folded boxes out of the corner of the closet. "Here we are!"

Tappei nodded and started unfolding the boxes. "These should do fine."

A thought popped into Kouya's head after that and he frowned. "What about my furniture? We can't fit that in the truck."

"Well… I can take some stuff on a second trip, but ya might need another car." Tappei smirked and Kouya sighed.

Tetsuya clapped Kouya on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it! I'll get the rest of your stuff with my own truck."

Kouya grinned. "Thanks, Tetsuya. You're a lifesaver."

He then grabbed a box and walked over to his bed, where he quickly took out a number of… adult magazines and threw them back into the box. He glanced around. _Hope nobody saw that._

"Wanna share those racy magazines with me, Kouya?" Tatsuki dropped down to sit next to him with a laugh.

_Nevermind._

Kouya's face caught fire and he looked away. "Those are private, dude!"

"I know, I'm just messing with ya!" Tatsuki laughed harder and ruffled his hair.

"Can you just help me pack?" Kouya frowned and put some music magazines over the other ones.

He nodded. "Yeah, of course! Just wanted to let you know you have good taste." Tatsuki winked and Kouya felt his heart stop.

"Uh, thanks." His brows scrunched together as he rolled his thoughts around in his headspace.

"Oh, hey. One more question."

_Is it about those magazines?_ "What's up?"

"Why's your motorcycle in here?" Tatsuki pointed to the bike in the corner of the apartment.

"Don't want it to get stolen." Kouya shrugged and looked back down at his box.

"Oh... Right."

"I won't have to do that at your place though!" Kouya looked back up to see Tatsuki smile that beautiful smile.

"Yeah, you're right!"

Kouya put the rest of his magazines in the box and closed it before he grabbed a marker and labeled it. "That's one thing done... Jeez, there's a lot of junk here."

Tatsuki walled over to the dresser beside the bed. "I'll get started on yer clothes, then!"

Kouya shrugged and looked around his apartment. Tappei and Tetsuya were emptying the fridge, and Chuukichi and Nikaidou were packing up his dishes. He found himself smiling as he watched them.

_I've got new friends._

Someone flicked him from the side. He jumped and turned to see a giggling Tatsuki holding up a pair of his underwear.

"Bikini briefs? That's what you wear?"

Kouya wanted to jump off of a bridge and swim away. His mind raced to come up with something, anything!

"Y-yeah? Well… says a lot coming from the guy who wears fundoshis!" Kouya shot back.

"Hey, I…" Tatsuki trailed off as he blushed. "Alright, ya got me there."

_So he's not invincible!_

Kouya laughed. "Can't make fun of me for that."

They continued to pack Kouya's clothes into a few suitcases he found in that same closet in a comfortable silence after that. Kouya found himself humming and smiling as he put his clothes away.

_Strange._

Kouya filled up his suitcase and looked over at Tatsuki, who was trying to push the top down and failing to a spectacular degree.

"You need some help, dude?" Kouya snickered as he watched.

"No, just gotta- ugh!" Tatsuki tried shoving the top down, but it just flung right back up. "Come on!"

"Man, this is pathetic." Kouya shooed Tatsuki out of the way. "Here, just let me."

He moved some of the clothes around and tucked them in as best as he could before he shut the top and flipped the latches down. _Too easy._

"What? You must be magic, dude!" Tatsuki gawked at the closed suitcase.

Kouya laughed and took the suitcases to a pile of boxes that had accumulated by the apartment entrance. "You've never packed clothes before, have you?"

Tatsuki grinned and looked away. "Not really…"

Kouya rolled his eyes. "Come on, dork. We gotta finish packing." He paused and furrowed his brow. "Or attempt to, I guess."

Tatsuki stuck his tongue out at Kouya before they got back to packing. There wasn't much left to do except the furniture and some knick-knacks, which they managed to finish pretty easily.

It was a few hours later when everything was packed away. Kouya stood around the place with hands on his hips and a frown on his lips after everyone else had walked outside.

"Well… guess this is it, huh?" He looked around the apartment as a pang of longing hit him. The boxes that couldn't be taken yet were piled next to the door.

_So many good memories here… bad ones too, but mostly great._

Another pang in his chest, this time of a different emotion. Kouya wasn't sure which one it was, but it hurt.

_Time to go._

Kouya turned around and walked out of the apartment with the last thing there: his motorcycle. As he closed the door and locked it, he felt something inside of him shift. It was like something lifted off of his chest… but something else took its place. It's probably not a bad thing, he hoped.

Tatsuki and the others were waiting for him by the now-full truck.

"I don't think the truck can fit us all now," Tappei remarked.

"That's okay!" An idea popped into Kouya's head. "Tatsuki, do you want to hitch a ride?"

A faint blush spread across Tatsuki's cheeks as he nodded. "Y- yeah! Yes!"

_Wow, that worked. Okay._

"Be back home in time for dinner, you two." Tappei winked at Kouya and he found himself blushing as well.

"Thank you, Mr. Midoriya!" Kouya waved Tatsuki over and got on his motorcycle. He handed Tatsuki the helmet and started the engine.

"You're not gonna wear one?" Tatsuki wrapped his arms around Kouya and rested against him.

_Oh crap, he's warm._ "I uh… there's only one. More concerned about you."

"Oh, so I'm clumsy?" Tatsuki's voice didn't hold any venom to it, and he only tightened his grip.

"I'd rather not answer that." Kouya chuckled. "Let's go!"

He revved the engine for a second and then they were off back towards the town with nothing but an open road and clear skies around them.

"Where do you wanna go?" Kouya shouted over the noise.

"Lunch sounds great right now! Stomach is growlin'!"

Kouya nodded. _The Raimon it is, then._

The countryside turned back into a town as the grass shrunk into cracks and corners between old buildings. Kouya slowed the motorcycle to a crawl as they drove through Minasoto.

"Man, it's really gotten hot!" Tatsuki's whining was much clearer now.

"Well… it's summer." Kouya raised a brow and shook his head.

"It's September!"

Kouya laughed. "Guess you'll just have to deal with climate change, big guy."

"Climate change is lame, then!"

"You're telling me, man."

Kouya turned a street corner. As he drove, two familiar figures caught his eye on the sidewalk.

_Oh, is that… it is!_

Kouya waved at Shun and Soutarou who were walking side by side with some popsicles in hand. "Hey, guys!" He shouted.

Tatsuki waved as well and the other two waved back, Shun with a goofy grin on his face. Kouya smiled back before they drove off towards the Raimon.

"They've been hanging out a lot more, haven't they?" Tatsuki asked.

Kouya nodded. "Soutarou's finally making good friends." He smiled.

_Guess the group isn't drifting off after all._

The Raimon finally came into view on the side of the street, and Kouya parked the motorcycle on one of the spaces in front of the building. When Tatsuki let go, he almost felt cold there in the blazing heat.

"That was a great ride, Kouya!" Tatsuki punched Kouya's shoulder. "We should do it again!"

Before Kouya could stop himself he said, "I would love to."

He wasn't sure what was wrong with him for saying so much without thinking.

But Tatsuki just grinned and walked into the Raimon. Kouya sighed and followed with another burning face.

* * *

Have patience in life

But don't wait forever

Sometimes you have to jump

Or you'll be in unknown waters forever

* * *

"You didn't have to pay for me, you know."

Kouya held open the door for Tatsuki, who shrugged at him. "I wanted to, don't worry about it."

Kouya frowned. "Is it because-"

Tatsuki shook his head. "Course not! I'm just trying to be nice!"

_Fine, I'll believe you this time._ "Thanks."

"You're welcome!" Tatsuki beamed.

Kouya cracked a smile and got on his motorcycle. Tatsuki clambered on behind him and put the helmet on before they drove off back through the town.

"Did you have a good time?" Kouya asked over his shoulder.

"Being with you is always a good time!" Tatsuki patted Kouya's stomach as he spoke.

_Did he just..? Or am I reading into it too much?_

Kouya just kept his mouth shut and focused on the road instead. It was easier to ignore the wonderful warmth wrapped around him that way.

_I think that's all I've been doing… I've got no chance._

The ride back to Tatsuki's house was silent, but Kouya found himself relaxed. The surroundings calmed and comforted his heart even with Tatsuki pressed up against him.

The calming scenery did nothing to stem the endless thoughts circling his brain like a cyclone, though.

_Everything is about him now. How did I fall so deep so fast?_

He growled under his breath.

_It doesn't make sense, even if it's really nice!_

Kouya turned a corner and the trees parted to reveal his new… home?

Kouya parked the bike beside Tappei's truck and turned it off before getting up. He looked over and saw that the truck bed was empty.

"Guess they already moved my stuff in."

"Yeah, but they'll get the rest tomorrow." Tatsuki snuck an arm around Kouya's shoulders. His fingers brushed Kouya's arm and sent shivers down his spine.

"Y- yeah." Kouya smiled and walked towards the house while he took a few deep breaths.

Tatsuki stepped ahead of him and held the door open. "After you, my good wolf friend."

Kouya smacked Tatsuki's arm on the way inside. "You know I'm a damn husky!"

Tatsuki snickered from behind him, and Kouya sighed. "Ass."

"I'm a dragon, not a donkey!"

Kouya turned around and hit him harder. Tatsuki yelped and held his arms close to his body. "That's what you get, smartass," Kouya shot back.

"Hey, I said I was a-" Tatsuki cut himself off when Kouya turned around with the most menacing glare he could muster.

_You're such a dork._

Kouya nodded and turned away from Tatsuki long enough to get out of the cramped doorway and into a very, very crowded living room.

"They're back!" Chuukichi exclaimed from his spot on the couch.

"What, did you guys decide to wait for us?" Tatsuki crossed his arms.

Tetsuya shrugged. "Just taking a break from moving Kouya's stuff is all."

Kouya's ears perked. "Oh, did you finish?"

Tappei nodded. "Yeah, the boxes are all in Tatsuki's room. I'll get the rest tomorrow, do you have a spare key?"

Kouya reached into his pockets and pulled out a key before throwing it to Tappei. "Thanks, Mr. Midoriya."

"Is there enough room for all his stuff and mine?" Tatsuki interjected.

_Oh, didn't consider that._

"Yeah, and I'm givin' the kid an extra room for his music shit." Tappei turned to face Kouya. "You can put yer extra stuff in there too."

Kouya couldn't keep the stupid smile from his face while his tail wagged behind him. "Thank you so much, Mr. Midoriya! That means a lot!"

Tappei held up a hand. "Don't thank me, boy. Just don't have yer band practice too late at night." He winked.

"I- I won't." Kouya cleared his throat and took a breath. "Thank you."

"Lemme just tell you a couple more rules to the house while we're here." Tappei leaned forward in the chair and clasped his hands together.

_He better not turn out to be some psycho with them._

"Look, they're really easy to follow. Even my son can do them… sometimes."

Kouya snickered and hid a grin behind his hands. Tatsuki just huffed and crossed his arms.

Tappei cleared his throat. "All ya gotta do is help with any chores my wife asks, and most importantly… keep out of the way when me and the boys are workin', alright?" His voice was laced with venom as he spoke the second rule.

"Crystal clear, Mr. Midoriya." Kouya gave him a thumbs up. _Jeez, someone's serious about their work._

"Great! That's all I had, boy; you can relax for a while now."

Kouya's shoulders relaxed as he nodded. "Thanks."

Tatsuki then grabbed Kouya's hand and began to lead him out of the living room. "C'mon, let's go unpack!"

It's not that exciting, he wanted to say. Instead he said, "Alright, sure."

Tatsuki led Kouya back down the maze of halls and stopped in front of his door once again. They were still holding hands, but Kouya didn't say anything. He just basked in the moment of bliss.

Maybe... Maybe this can be something?

"Let's see what we have here- oh."

Tatsuki opened the door and came face to face with a bunch of huge boxes stacked in the center of the room.

_Jesus, that's a lot._

"Uh, yeah. Oh," Kouya scratched his head. "Let's try to figure this out…"

"Your clothes first, right? I've got a spare drawer in my dresser."

"Yeah." Kouya moved the boxes around until he found the one marked 'clothes.' He pulled it out and opened it up.

Tatsuki walked over to his dresser by the window and opened an empty drawer. "So do you want your briefs on the left corner or the right one?" A mischievous glint appeared in his eye as Kouya blushed.

"I hate you." He looked away and crossed his arms.

"Nah, you love me!" Tatsuki winked at him.

_Why do you have to be right?_ "…I'll put them on the right side," he muttered.

Tatsuki laughed and picked up a handful of clothes from the box. Only a few short moments later, Kouya's clothes were put away as well as his embarrassing underwear._ Of course, I gotta prefer something weird._

"Alright, what's next?"

Kouya hummed. "I'll put my music stuff in that spare room later."

Tatsuki crossed his arms and made a noise that sounded almost like a deflating balloon. "I never got a spare room for my art."

"Maybe it's because Mr. Midoriya likes me more than you." Kouya winked.

"That really wouldn't surprise me." Tatsuki sighed.

Kouya's ears drooped and his heart fell as he watched Tatsuki. "Hey, I was just joking! That's not true."

Tatsuki shrugged. "Who knows?" He sat down on the floor.

_Aw man, poor guy_. Kouya sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know it isn't true." He smiled. "Least your dad supports you."

Tatsuki's eyes lit up in worry. "Sorry, I shouldn't have complained about my dad!"

Kouya shook his head. "Nah, you've got every right to. This isn't a competition."

"Okay." Tatsuki smiled back, and Kouya felt something warm flutter in his stomach. He reached over and touched Tatsuki's hand.

"We've both got problems, but I'm sure your dad loves you. It might just not be… conventional." Kouya shrugged.

"If you say so." Tatsuki took Kouya's hand in his own. "Thanks, though! That really helped."

"I'm glad something got through that thick skull of yours." Kouya knocked on Tatsuki's forehead lightly.

"I'll listen to you, of course!"

"And your parents?"

"Well, they don't make sense like you." Tatsuki's voice got much softer as he looked into Kouya's eyes.

_Oh my God, okay._ Kouya's heart just wasn't working properly anymore. He swallowed hard. _Damn. Damn, Tatsuki._

Kouya looked away and coughed. "Let's uh. See what else we can put away, okay?"

"Oh, alright." Kouya swore he caught disappointment in Tatsuki's voice.

_He's into me, isn't he?_

Kouya opened a box full of dishes and shook his head. _Nah_. He closed the box back up.

Tatsuki gestured to a few boxes in a corner of the pile. "This is all of your music stuff. Do we really need to unpack anything else?" His pleading eyes were just too cute.

"Nah, I guess not." Kouya patted his shoulder. "Already done a lot of moving today."

"Can I ask you something about that?"

Kouya raised a brow. "What's up?"

"Does this feel like it's going to be your home?" Tatsuki held his arm and looked to the side.

"I mean, it's all still new." Tatsuki's tail hit the floor and he sighed as Kouya spoke. "But that doesn't mean it won't feel like it soon!"

A small grin came to Tatsuki's face. "You're serious?"

"Course! I wouldn't lie about that." Kouya wandered over to Tatsuki's easel and looked out the window at the sun hanging low from its precipice in the sky. "This is all just complicated."

"Complicated how?" Tatsuki walked over and stood beside him.

"Making all of these decisions for myself at seventeen. Most other teenagers are worried about how they look, or something."

"Hey, that's alright! Not everyone can be the same."

Kouya shook his head. "Yeah, well I shouldn't have to act like an adult right now."

It was Tatsuki's turn to pat Kouya's shoulder. "Hey, ya won't have to now! You're livin' with us!"

Kouya's ears perked up. "That's true. No more bills!"

"There ya go! That's the Kouya I know." Tatsuki winked and set Kouya's nerves ablaze.

Kouya shuffled a little closer to Tatsuki, but only to get a better view out of the window. He certainly wasn't enjoying the intense heat Tatsuki radiated at all.

"Just makes me miss bein' tiny. We were so free back then!"

"Didn't we reminisce about this yesterday?" Kouya snickered and elbowed Tatsuki.

"Yeah, but it's so easy to think about. About what we had."

"We've gotta think about what we've got in the present now. Past won't ever come back."

"Alright, alright. I'll still cherish the memories though!" Tatsuki elbowed him back.

"That's the idea!"

The sun cut a glare into the room and bathed everything in a fiery glow. It reflected off of Tatsuki's eyes in a picture straight out of a book, and it took Kouya's breath away.

Tatsuki looked over and grinned. "What's with the look?"

_Aw shit, I'm staring!_ "Uh, nothing. Sorry." Kouya looked away as the sun burned his face. Complications always seemed to arise from the simplest views.

"Well come on, then! Dinner is gonna be ready in a few!" Tatsuki started to walk for the door.

"Alright." Kouya followed him out of the room while his tail wagged behind him.

They walked back through the maze of a house and came upon the living room once more, which was now only populated by Tetsuya and Tappei, who were talking quietly to each other.

"Hey Dad, what's for dinner?" Tatsuki asked.

"Ask your mother, she's cookin'." Tappei pointed in the direction of the kitchen. Tatsuki shrugged and walked to the kitchen.

Kouya stepped into the kitchen behind Tatsuki and became enveloped in an intoxicating aroma that swept him away into melancholy. Memories of when he was little flooded his mind as he inhaled.

"Whatcha cooking, Mom?"

Mrs. Midoriya looked up from the massive pot she was stirring on the stove and smiled. "Ramen."

Tatsuki pumped a fist into the air. "Awesome! You're the best, Mom!"

Mrs. Midoriya shrugged. "So I'm only the best when I cook something that you like?" She raised a brow while she glared at him.

Tatsuki's eyes widened as he held up his hands. "Wait, that's not what I meant!"

Mrs. Midoriya laughed. "I'm just kidding, Tatsuki. Go sit down; dinner is almost ready."

Tatsuki chuckled and scratched his neck. "Alright, alright."

_She's a lot more aggressive than my mom._ Kouya smiled to himself as he sat at the empty table. Tatsuki sat right next to him and drew an arm around his shoulder.

"Ya like ramen, right?" Tatsuki leaned in close, and Kouya nodded. His heart was pounding in his throat.

"Course! It's like, the cheapest thing I can eat a lot." Oh, how Kouya just wanted to lean in and kiss Tatsuki's stupid face.

"That three-minute stuff ain't anything like Mom's!" Tatsuki grinned and Kouya found himself grinning back as his tail wagged.

"You've got a great family, Tatsuki." Kouya's mood started to sink, but then Tatsuki punched his shoulder.

"Hey, you're a part of it now! That makes it even better!"

"Tatsuki…" Kouya found himself at a loss for words, but Tatsuki seemed to have plenty to spare. _Does he really mean that?_

"I'm being serious, I promise!"

"Th- thank you, Tatsuki." Kouya found Tatsuki's hand and touched it.

"No need to thank me, dummy!" Tatsuki just laughed.

_Well, I gotta somehow. Maybe a song?_

"What's he thanking you for, Tatsuki?" Tetsuya asked as he entered the dining room.

"Aw, nothing much. Just a favor I did." Tatsuki winked at Kouya before he scooted away a small bit.

Kouya already felt colder, but that wink paralyzed his nerves.

Tetsuya nodded. "How's the progress on unpacking?"

Kouya shrugged. "Most of it might just have to go into storage. Don't want my silverware and stuff to get mixed up with yours."

"Hmm… you could put it in that new music room of yours." Tetsuya rubbed his chin as he spoke.

Kouya shook his head. "Nah, that'll ruin the acoustics. Is there another spare room or something?"

"It's either that room or the attic," Tatsuki replied.

Kouya grimaced. "I'll find a place for it in the music room." _Don't want any creepy bugs getting into my stuff!_

Tetsuya chuckled. "Well alrighty then."

"Speaking of, I was gonna move all that stuff in tomorrow."

"No problem, I'll help after work," Tatsuki said.

"Oh yeah. What's work like for you?" Kouya sat up and rested his chin on a hand while he looked at Tatsuki.

"It's carpentry, so lots of cutting wood." Tatsuki shrugged.

"C'mon! You know I want more info than that!" Kouya stuck his tongue out and shoved Tatsuki.

"Okay, sorry!" Tatsuki chuckled. "We're usually working on commissions from people around town. Dad trains us when we aren't doing that, as well."

Kouya frowned. "Oh. That doesn't sound bad."

Tatsuki snorted and Tetsuya shook his head. "No, it's a ton of work."

Tetsuya hummed. "Always too exhausted to do anything but nap right after it!"

Kouya blinked. "So… you don't like it?"

Tatsuki snorted again. _Well geez, make up your mind here!_

"I really like it! Helps keep me in shape, and it's preparing me for the real world and stuff." Tatsuki gestured towards the open window in the kitchen while he spoke.

"Then that's great, dude." Kouya gave him a thumbs up. _Speaking of, when do I work next?_

"Well, how's your job treatin' ya?" Tatsuki raised a brow.

Kouya smiled. "I love working at the music shop. Making pretty good money, and I get to use the back for band practice."

"Sounds awesome too!"

"Thanks." Kouya leaned back in the chair while his tail wagged behind him.

They lapsed into silence for a few blissful moments before the rest of the family came barging into the dining room. Well, besides Nikaidou.

_And to think my nuclear family was all proper and quiet at the table. This is way better._

"Alright, boys! Food is served!" Mrs. Midoriya exclaimed as she set a massive pot of ramen on the table and set out plates and chopsticks for everyone. She disappeared back into the kitchen and brought out glasses of water for everyone as well.

Kouya couldn't keep himself from salivating as he laid eyes upon the masterpiece of a feast in front of him. The smell brought those old memories right back to him again.

"This looks so great…" Kouya murmured.

Tatsuki stood up and began pouring out huge servings for everyone. Kouya tried to ask for a smaller portion, but Tatsuki just shook his head and insisted that he needed to gain more weight.

"Alright, that's everyone." Tatsuki sat back down with a grunt and looked down at his steaming bowl. "But before we eat, I wanna make a toast."

Chuukichi raised a brow from where he sat across the table. "A toast?"

Tatsuki nodded and raised a glass. "A toast to Kouya. I wanna make a toast to him becomin' the newest member of our family!"

Kouya watched with widened eyes as everyone raised a glass and exclaimed, "Cheers!" A warm and fuzzy feeling enveloped him while everyone congratulated and accepted him.

"Tatsuki, you didn't have to-"

"Naw, but I wanted to!" Tatsuki winked at him.

_Swear I've had this conversation already_. "Okay, thank you."

"No thanks necessary either!"

Kouya huffed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, you dork. Cheers!" Another round of exclamation from everyone with it.

"Alright, let's eat!" Tatsuki dug into his ramen with gusto, and Kouya stared at him with a sigh.

_I don't think he knows any table manners!_ He looked back down at his ramen and shook his head.

Kouya grabbed his chopsticks and pulled a steaming clump of noodles out. His mouth started watering and so he shoved the whole thing in his mouth… and then almost spat out the burning food.

"Ah, shhmph!" Kouya did his best to keep eating despite the pain.

_Oh, it's getting better now. And- holy shit._

"Thish ish 'mazin!" Kouya swallowed and went back for more.

Tatsuki looked over at him and guffawed. "I told you it was great food!"

_This stuff is just as good as Mom's!_

"The best!" Kouya replied between mouthfuls. "Thank you so much Mrs. Midoriya!"

Mrs. Midoriya chuckled from across the table. "Of course! Help yourself to as much as you can eat, dear!"

Kouya inhaled more noodles and nodded. Tatsuki was already halfway through his second bowl by the time Kouya managed to finish his first.

"How much of this can you eat?" Kouya stared at Tatsuki's mouth as he refilled his bowl.

Tatsuki held up a hand as he swallowed. "Probably four bowls, maybe five."

Kouya ran a hand through his hair and snorted. "I shouldn't be surprised."

Tatsuki laughed again. "I'm a growing boy!"

Kouya narrowed his eyes. "You're bigger than most men." _In a lot of areas I bet…_

"I am not!"

"Dude, you're taller than your dad."

Tatsuki opened his mouth and then looked away. "Okay, fine." He continued eating.

Kouya rolled his eyes and smiled.

The rest of dinner passed by without too many complications. Kouya pushed his empty bowl away and leaned back in his chair with a sigh as he patted his stomach.

"That was amazing; thanks Mrs. Midoriya!" Kouya exclaimed.

"Anytime dear. I'll put the rest away for leftovers in the fridge." Mrs. Midoriya stood up and took the pot with her back into the kitchen.

Tatsuki groaned and rubbed his stomach. "I ate too much…"

Kouya raised a brow. "And how many bowls would that be?"

Tatsuki sighed. "I had five."

Kouya rubbed a hand down the side of his face. "You're so hopeless dude."

"What can I say? I was hungry."

Kouya stood up and stretched. "Come on, let's get going."

Tatsuki straightened up. "Yeah, it's bathtime now!"

"Uh, sure?" Kouya's heart jumped at the thought. _Are we gonna share again?_

Tatsuki waved to his dad and started walking out, followed by Kouya. "I'll be really quick tonight, we don't have to share."

Kouya's hopes sunk, but he forced his ears to stay up. "Alright. I'll be in your room."

Tatsuki smiled. "You can call it our room, you know."

"Seriously?" Kouya's tail started wagging.

"You are living here, aren't ya?"

"I suppose I am, yeah."

Tatsuki punched Kouya's arm. "Well, go relax! I won't take long."

Kouya left him at the bathroom door and kept going to their bedroom. He went inside and laid on the floor with a grunt as thoughts began to swarm around his head.

_Our room. It's our room. Not just his._

Kouya grinned.

_My home. Our home._

His tail thumped against the floor as he giggled. He actually giggled!

Kouya looked around the room after he finished laughing, and his gaze came to rest upon the mountain of boxes.

_Yeah, I'll just shove em in the music room._

He smoothed his hair and laid back down. His music room in their home. _Damn, can't believe this all happened._

The events of the past few days played over and over in his head, but what stuck out the most to him was Tatsuki. Tatsuki was always the focus, no matter where they were.

_How did that happen so fast?_

Kouya shut his eyes and tried to think further back. There were flashes of want and of longing. Moments where he wanted them to be alone at school. Moments where he pushed Tatsuki away.

"I'm such an idiot," he whispered.

_As long as I never push him away again…_

Kouya rolled over on his stomach as he thought. _Why did I start pushing everyone out?_ It really didn't make any sense.

He could only point a finger at himself for everything. Whatever it was, it was making his stomach drop while he curled up into a ball on his side.

_Maybe it was because of my band? Maybe because... I moved out?_

Everything clicked into place and Kouya groaned.

_I need to reconnect better with the guys. Already got Tatsuki, but what about the others? Haven't talked to them since Hiro visited._

He nodded to himself. I'll do it. _I'll talk to them._

A knock on the door threw Kouya from his introspection. "Come in!"

"Hope I didn't make you wait too long." Tatsuki walked in wearing his clothes from before, but his scales were much shinier. He was glowing in the low light of the room; Kouya felt his heart stutter.

"No, I kept myself occupied." He swallowed and rubbed his neck. "You ready to turn in for the night?"

Tatsuki hummed. "There's still some time left." His voice grew softer. "Wanna head up to the roof?"

"Sure." Kouya got up and made for the door, but Tatsuki laughed and shook his head.

"We can just go through my window!" Tatsuki opened the window and motioned for Kouya to go through.

Kouya crawled through it and came out on the roof, wind hitting against his face. Tatsuki barely squeezed through behind him and stood up with a grunt.

"Come on, let's go all the way up." He jumped up and scrambled to the top of the roof with Kouya not far behind him.

They sat on the slanted tile and looked up at the endless sky that blanketed the ground. Every single little star winked down at him as if they knew all of his problems.

"Gorgeous night, eh?" Tatsuki elbowed Kouya and grinned.

"Yeah," Kouya breathed. He laid down and raised a hand towards the expanse above. "Beautiful."

"You should've seen the meteor shower from up here; it was like you could reach up and grab one!"

"Sounds like I missed out!" Kouya grinned.

Tatsuki shook his head. "Nah..." his demeanor turned quiet. He blushed and looked away. "It's not the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, anyway."

Kouya raised a brow and sat up. "Oh yeah?"

_What's this about, huh?_

Tatsuki groaned and covered his eyes. "Uh, nothing! Nevermind!"

"You've gotta tell me now, man!" Kouya scooted closer and leaned in.

Tatsuki's blush deepened. "I can't!"

"Why not? It's only something you saw, isn't it?"

"W-well yeah! But I can't tell you!" Tatsuki shook his head, and Kouya's frustration only grew.

"Why wouldn't you be able to…" Kouya stopped as the pieces clicked together. "Oh."

_Tatsuki is a total cheeseball. Can't believe he likes someone!_ Something in his chest sunk. _He_ likes_ someone…_

Tatsuki swallowed while his eyes widened. "So you figured it out, huh?"

"It was pretty obvious, you know." Kouya snickered. "You suck at hiding things."

"Yeah." Tatsuki chuckled. His hands were shaking from where they grasped at nothing in the air. "Guess the jury's out!"

He looked up at the sky. "I was gonna tell you!" His starlit gaze moved to meet Kouya's. "But now you already know I'm in love with ya, huh?"

Kouya's train of thought derailed as he stared at Tatsuki. _He… me… what? How?_

"Uh, Kouya? You okay?"

Kouya couldn't even smile. The shock still froze him solid. "You like me?"

"Well, yeah? Didn't you just figure that out?"

Kouya shook his head. "I- I thought you liked someone else." Everything still felt numb.

"Oh." Tatsuki's expression was blank. He turned away. "Well, dammit. Guess I'm the idiot again."

Kouya snapped out of his stupor. "Hey, you're not an idiot!" That numbness was being replaced by something hot and alive under his skin.

"Oh yeah? What genius thinks they would have a chance with a guy as amazing as you?"

_Now's my chance!_ "Well… it would be the same genius that I have a crush on." Kouya winked at Tatsuki, and somehow his voice didn't shake.

Tatsuki's eyes went wide for a moment before his face lit up. "Wh- really?"

Kouya smiled. "You're no idiot, Tatsuki Midoriya. Maybe a tiny bit dense, but you're not stupid."

Kouya's heart was pounding in his ears as he watched a slew of emotions spread across Tatsuki's face.

"You like me too?" His voice was small, and it sent shockwaves through Kouya's heart and mind.

"I wanted to tell you, but you beat me to it!" Kouya wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He was shaking as if it was freezing outside.

"I guess I did!" Tatsuki barked out a nervous laugh before leaning into Kouya's touch. "So much for the romantic moment."

Kouya shrugged. "That shit is overplayed anyway."

"Maybe a little."

They went silent, but the night was still brimming with the song of nature. Kouya felt a new feeling bloom in his chest as he looked over at Tatsuki. He touched Tatsuki's hand, and there was no push for him to go.

Kouya swallowed and grasped Tatsuki's hand. It was smooth and soft, yet heavy and firm. His grip was fragile, but then Tatsuki laced their fingers together and held tight.

"Here's a question," Kouya murmured. Tatsuki tilted his head. "How long have you liked me, big guy?"

"Aw geez, uh… a year? Longer than that?" He shrugged. "Long enough for me to forget how it started."

Kouya blinked. "Really? You've liked me for so long…"

_Damn, if only I had figured myself out sooner! Maybe he wouldn't have had to wait…_

"Well, of course! You're the hottest guy I've ever seen!" Tatsuki winked at him. "Who wouldn't like you?"

"What a charmer." Kouya's cheeks burned as he squeezed Tatsuki's hand tight. "Sorry I didn't realize."

Tatsuki shrugged. "Eh, we've all been so busy with stuff. No time for all that."

"Least we got time now?" Kouya cocked his head and Tatsuki nodded.

"Plenty of time." They both looked down at their joined hands. Kouya's hand was so small compared to Tatsuki's, so oddly fragile in the giant green palm.

"Tatsuki?"

"What's up?"

Eyes flicked up to the sky. "Can… can I kiss you?"

A snicker. "Well, I was waitin' for it to happen!"

Kouya snaked his arms around Tatsuki's neck. "It would've been rude to do it without permission."

The look in Tatsuki's eyes grew heated. "I've never been much for manners, have I?"

Kouya rolled his eyes. "Nah, guess not."

Then he leaned in and kissed that stupid grin off of Tatsuki's face.

Explosions rattled throughout Kouya's nervous system as his eyes closed and he sunk further into the kiss. He felt like he was floating in the air, but sinking into the ground. Everything felt so wonderful and scary and new.

_Best first kiss I've ever had._

Kouya's mood only improved when Tatsuki wrapped his arms around him and drew them flush together.

More explosions and more white-hot joy.

He wasn't sure how long they were like that, be it a few seconds or hours. It didn't matter; it was perfect anyway.

Kouya pulled back and gasped for breath as he stared at Tatsuki. They both started laughing, and Tatsuki pressed their foreheads against each other.

"How are we doin'?" Tatsuki asked.

Kouya laughed again. "Pretty damn good, man." He kissed Tatsuki once more for a moment and saw stars again.

G_od, what a day. What a week!_

"So… we boyfriends now?" Tatsuki blushed.

Kouya rolled his eyes and hugged him. "Of course, you dork."

"Hey, I had ta ask!"

"I know." Kouya pulled back and smiled. He laid down on the roof and stared up at the sky, and Tatsuki joined him.

Kouya scooted a little closer and leaned up against Tatsuki. "Probably the weirdest few days I've had in a while." Kouya nodded to himself as he spoke. "But some of the best, too." He nudged Tatsuki.

"Aww, thanks!" He wrapped an arm around Kouya the best he could. "I agree with ya."

Kouya rested his head against the other man's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. He yawned and shut his eyes.

"Ready to go back inside?" Tatsuki asked.

"No, no. Let's stay here a while longer." Kouya cuddled even closer and held to Tatsuki tighter. _Let's just stay like this._

Better to stay in the moment as long as you can before reality sets in once more.

Kouya hummed as another thought popped into his head. _This really is a new chapter of my life._ His heart warmed and he grew giddy.

_I've got a boyfriend and a new home to start it with._

Tatsuki pressed a kiss to the top of Kouya's head.

Kouya's shoulders finally fell and all the tension seeped away from his body. Everything just fell away and left the two of them alone under the starlight.

_It's all gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine._

The stars were bright, the cicadas were buzzing, and the night was cool and beautiful.


End file.
